1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for dispensing a product, such as a cosmetic product, from a housing using a piston venting system to help control the flow of the product out of the housing and to eliminate pressurization of the package during filling.
2. Description of Related Art
The invention relates to a packaging and dispensing device, and particularly to a device that is suitable for the packaging of a product in a housing having an opening at one end for dispensing product. An operable end of the device is designed to be controlled by the user to regulate a dispensing of the product. The operable device can controllably move a product engaging structure to force product out of the device in an amount desired by the user.
However, air can become compressed between the product and other parts of the device when the device is filled during manufacturing. That is, in the related art, an air gap can be formed between an end of the product fill and the product engaging structure designed to propel the product out of the device. The air that becomes compressed could prevent proper assembly due to buildup of pressure.
Further, if the pressure from the compressed air is not allowed to be relieved prior to consumer use, the compressed air could prematurely force the product out of the device at an undesirable time. In addition, the presence of the compressed air could cause the product to dry out or otherwise reduce the performance characteristics of the product and thus, affect the quality of the product.
Accordingly, dispensing devices of the related art lack proper venting and therefore difficulty in producing the device is increased and/or an unacceptable loss of the product results when dispensing the product out of the device. Unintentional loss through the dispensing holes of the device and a changing of the characteristics of the product are wasteful and can also interfere with the ability of the device to dispense a desirable amount of product to the user.